The first one I rode to, it's only about 40 miles, although you have to leave at 5:00 am and it's cold/wet out, I felt like crap all through the crit, but if you are just looking for a learning experience.

Also if you don't mind missing the skills session you can take BART to fremont earliest from the city arrives just after 9 am and from there its a ~6 mile ride to the crit at 9:45